1950 advertisement sponsored by
the McLean County Republican Central Committee.

Advertisement from 1954 Campaign for
re-election as County judge.

Historical Sketch

Robert C. Underwood
was a prominent figure in Bloomington, McLean County, and the State of Illinois
as an attorney, county judge, and justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.
He was well respected, and his reforms and leadership made lasting impacts
on the judicial system in Illinois.
Justice Underwood was born on October 27, 1915 in Gardner,
Illinois, the son of Marion L. Underwood, a merchant, and Edith Underwood.
He graduated from Gardner-South Wilmington Township High School in 1933,
and completed his undergraduate studies at Illinois Wesleyan University
in 1937. In 1939 he graduated from the University of Illinois College of
Law, and was admitted to the Bar of Illinois. He practiced law in Bloomington
from 1939 to 1946, first in private practice and as city attorney of Normal,
and then as assistant state's attorney of McLean County from 1942 to 1946.
In 1946 Underwood defeated the incumbent county judge,
Dewey Montgomery, in the Republican primary and then won the general election.
He was reelected three times, serving as county judge for a total of 16
years. During this time he was a vocal advocate for foster homes and better
facilities for juvenile offenders, and worked closely with organizations
such as the Baby Fold. His work in this area drew statewide recognition,
and he was appointed as a member of the Illinois Commission on Children.
In 1958 Underwood ran a brief campaign for a federal judgeship that became
vacant, but was unsuccessful.
In 1962, Justice George W. Bristow of the Illinois Supreme
Court died, opening a vacancy in what was then the Third Supreme Court District,
which included McLean County. At that time the nomination of a candidate
for Supreme Court justice was determined by a convention composed of delegates
from the Republican parties in each of the 16 counties of the district.
Underwood faced opposition from several prominent figures in central Illinois,
including appellate and circuit court judges, lawyers, and a state senator.
He did little campaigning before the convention; however, he established
a strategy in which the McLean County delegation would vote for candidates
from other counties on the promise that they would in turn vote for Underwood
on later ballots. The convention began at noon on January 26, 1962 in Champaign.
Support for various candidates fluctuated for hours until finally, on the
52 ballot, the Iroquois County delegation switched their vote to Underwood,
giving him the 218 votes necessary to secure his nomination at 2:00 a.m.
An article from The Chicago Tribune stated that Underwood "consistently
outmaneuvered experienced floor managers who were handling other candidates.
His work during the convention was recognized as a masterful job of political
timing."
The leading Democratic candidate, Donald V. Dobbins,
announced soon after the convention that he would not oppose Underwood,
whom he praised as "a jurist worthy of promotion to the state's highest
court." Underwood easily defeated Democratic candidate Zack Hickman of Danville
and assumed the position of Justice of the Supreme Court on December 1,
1962.
In 1969 he was elected by his fellow justices as chief
justice shortly after two members of the court resigned following a scandal
regarding manipulation of stocks for their own benefits. The selection of
Underwood as chief justice was an attempt to restore confidence in the integrity
of the court. He was reelected in 1970 for a 10 year term, and continued
to serve as chief justice until January 1, 1976. During his six years as
chief justice, he made significant impacts on the judicial system in Illinois.
He helped establish a strict judicial code of conduct, the first such code
with the force of law, which he viewed as his most significant contribution
to the state's court system. This code was viewed as the most comprehensive
and stringent code of judicial conduct in the nation, and was consulted
by the drafters of the American Bar Association's Code of Judicial Conduct.
Underwood also was one of the first state chief justices to use an annual
report to the legislature for recommended improvements in the courts and
procedural law. He advocated stability and administrative capacity in the
office of chief justice, and supported efficient and timely judicial system.
In his tenure on the court Justice Underwood was viewed as a model of integrity
and leadership, especially given the rather tumultuous period between the
Judicial Act of 1964 and the adoption of the 1970 Illinois Constitution.
The spokesman for the Illinois State Bar Association said that "He was the
one person everyone could look up to. He was the epitome of what you'd want
a Supreme Court justice to be." Underwood was retained again in 1980 for
another 10 year term, but retired in 1984 after serving 38 years as a judge,
with 23 of those years on the Supreme Court.
After retirement he was a consultant for the Dunn law
firm in Bloomington until his death on March 30, 1988. He was survived by
his wife, Dorothy (Roy) Underwood, his daughter Susan (Underwood) Barcalow,
and two grandchildren. His funeral was held at The First United Methodist
Church of Normal, and was attended by many dignitaries including judges,
lawyers, and Illinois Governor James Thompson. He was buried in Funks Grove
Cemetery in McLean County.
Underwood was the author of numerous articles appearing
in professional journals and publications, and received many awards from
such organizations as the Kiwanis Club and the United States Junior Chamber
of Commerce. He held honorary doctoral degrees from Loyola University (Chicago),
Eureka College, Illinois State University, and Illinois Wesleyan University.
A park in Normal, at the corner of Linden and Jersey, was named in his honor.

Scope and Contents Note

The Justice Robert
C. Underwood collection contains newspaper articles, correspondence, speeches,
campaign and election materials, and personal and professional correspondence
primarily regarding Justice Underwood's various campaigns for county judge
and Supreme Court justice. The collection is organized into boxes: Box 1
contains biographical information and material from his 1946, 1950, 1954,
1958, 1960, and 1962 campaigns; Box 2 contains material from his 1970 campaign
along with awards, photos, printing mats, and booklets. Box 3 (archival
box) contains printing plates. The following is an itemized list of the
collection's contents.

Memorial to Underwood delivered by Mark T. Dunn (3 copies),
with order of service for funeral

1.1.8

Transcript of memorial services held in the Supreme Court
of Illinois September 20, 1988

Newspaper coverage of death:

1.1.9

The Pantagraph Thursday, March 31, 1988 pages A1-4 and B7-8,
contains articles "Ex-justice dead at 72," "Judge had 4 decades on bench,"
and "Services slated Friday for Judge Underwood", and a copy of each article

From Pearl Devore with list of women and McLean County Central
Committeemen pamphlet

1.5.2

Congratulations card from women of the 1st and 2nd ward

1.5.3

January 2, 1946 to Donald Powell requesting circulation of
petition, with rough draft of a speech on the back.

1.5.4

January 2, 1946 to Fred Munson requesting circulation of petition,
with rough draft of a speech on the back

1.5.5

Rough draft of letter to "Reverend ____"

1.5.6

March 16, 1946 to Reverend Edward P. Nelson

1.5.7

March 22, 1946 from Mabel Clarida of the Department of Public
Welfare to Reverend William A. Hammitt, superintendent of the Baby fold,
regarding Juvenile commitments in the state of Illinois and McLean County
(2 copies, one with handwritten analysis)

September 3, 1970 copy of letter to Judge James E. McMackin,
Jr. from Roy O. Gulley, director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois
Courts with list of judges receiving less than 70% "yes" votes for retention
in 1966 election